Tag Archives: Dare 5K

I suppose some readers might be tired of posts about running, but the Boilermaker is one week from today! In fact, one week from right now as I write this, I will be done running the Boilermaker (but not done writing about it, as I’m sure you’ve guessed). Besides, I ran somewhere different today, and I think that is worth a post.

I started with my usual Sunday run up to Herkimer County Community College (HCCC) the front way. I tell you what, that hill does not get any easier. As I fought my way up it, I reflected on the Boilermaker vs Herkimer’s D.A.R.E. 5K. For a 15K, it is impressive just to go the distance. For a 5K, less so. Unless the 5K includes a big old steep hill. Then you get kudos for just not walking. And if you do walk you still get kudos for just not stopping. And if you do stop, well, there’s always next year. I don’t intend to stop, and I did not stop today.

I kept going up onto the campus, so I was still running uphill. It was after 7 o’clock and already the sun was hot. Well, that just makes it better practice for the Boilermaker, I told myself. And on the Boilermaker there is a considerable number of places where they offer you water. That will be nice. I sure could have used a little shade, though.

My goal was to run for an hour and twenty minutes. That mean I had time to kill (if the time didn’t kill me) (such an outcome was, of course, unlikely, but I had to make the play on words). I decided to run on the nature trail. There would be lots of shade there.

I used to walk the trail once a week with a friend, and Steven and I have taken Tabby there several times. We have not been there in a long time, but I felt fairly confident I could get in and out without getting lost in the woods. On reflection, I don’t know why I thought that. I get lost all the time in the silliest places. If it’s a choice between a left and a right, at least eight times out of ten I will pick the wrong one. Either I trust my instinct and it’s wrong, or I don’t trust it and it’s right. No matter. Even if I got lost, the trail doesn’t go that deeply into the woods. At worst, I would come out on some back road and have to run back to the college. There might be a lot of bugs in the woods. That’s all right, too, I thought. I have witch hazel to put on but bites. Really, there was no reason not to continue.

I could see right away that they had maintained the trail. I followed a nice path of wood chips into the forest. I remembered this, sure I did. I crossed a wooden bridge over a dry stream bed. The path was clear, no choices right or left yet. I could rock this. My only problem was not much breeze, and I had forgotten my headband.

I could hear a woodpecker in the distance that sounded much louder and a little slower than I thought woodpeckers sounded. Maybe it was a mutant woodpecker. Then I came to a sign that said Outer Loop with arrows pointing in opposite directions. Swell! I picked right.

This path was a lot longer than I remembered. It was so twisty I couldn’t tell what direction I was headed in. Some people might have been able to judge by the position of the sun, but I couldn’t remember where the sun was when I went in (oh, I know the sun doesn’t move, we do; you know what I mean).

I knew there was a section that goes out into some fields. You’re still surrounded by vegetation, so you can’t just crash through to the road, and it goes on and on and on. I did not want to go there. Here was another choice. I was sure the left led to that path. I chose right. No! Right went to the path. I went back to go left instead. No! Left went that way too! I went back right. For one thing, part of that path was soft pine needles that felt good on my feet. Then I noticed a third choice.

More pine needles. Ah! Then I saw a shelter I remembered, and a picnic table. Oh, was this the way back to where I came in? Yes! It was! I still had a ways to go and a couple of good upslopes to navigate, but I could see the athletic fields in the distance through the trees and knew I was on the right track.

I emerged from the woods triumphant, and not even half-way through my hour and twenty minutes. No matter. I could loop around the athletic fields and onto Reservoir Road. Then it was downhill and shade till I got to the spring for my mid-run drink.

The rest of the run was pretty good. I petted three dogs, found some nice shade, enjoyed the occasional breeze. I also ran up the hill by Valley Health, just to be hard core (at least as hard as my core gets). I’d say I’m feeling semi-confident about the Boilermaker. My main goal now is to blog about something else at least a couple of times between now and then. Stay tuned!

I am writing another post about a run, because that is how I motivated myself to start and to continue. It really does add interest to a run, writing my blog in my head as I go.

I woke up early this morning with a muscle spasm in my shoulder. Oh, it was painful. No position was comfortable and moving around trying to find one was even worse. I managed to fall back asleep a couple of times but was glad to get up, thinking that eventually I could apply ice and/or ibuprofen.

First I applied coffee, of course, and requested sympathy from my husband, Steven, which he generously supplied. I ate a banana with peanut butter so I would not be taking the ibuprofen on an empty stomach. Steven found my ice pack and I kept that on for 20 minutes (I seem to remember reading somewhere you are not supposed to leave ice on for longer).

When Steven left for work shortly before nine, I got on my running clothes and set out. The ibuprofen and ice had not been the miracle cures I was hoping for, but with the Boilermaker looming ever closer, I didn’t feel I should take the day off. I mean, I may not run every day between now and July 8, but a Sunday when I don’t have to work and intend to run for an hour and up to Herkimer County Community College (HCCC) the front way… I thought I would at least try.

It was much nicer running prior to 6 a.m. on Saturday. At 9 a.m. the sun is already fairly high in the sky and it was warm. I thought about how shady it would be running down from HCCC the back way. I thought about a cool drink from the spring. I thought about how much my shoulder was hurting and how my legs were not even daring to complain.

I told myself that it was OK that I couldn’t lift my head comfortably. Going up the hill, it is good to look down at your feet and not think about how much further you have to go. Soon I was on the hill. That sun was hot. I told myself that the Boilermaker might be hot. I saw the spray paint from the DARE 5K: “Have fun!” The sarcasm was not lost on me.

At last, at last, I was almost to the top. Would I continue uphill past the buildings? I thought I would. For one thing, an hour is a long time, even running as slow as I was running. There was no shade to be found. Just keep going. Finally I could cross over to Reservoir Road. It was all downhill from here.

I think running on a gentle down slope is a fine thing. One of the few times when gravity is my friend. A breeze would have been nice, but you can’t have everything. When I got closer to the reservoir it actually seemed a little hotter, definitely more humid. I thought it was supposed to be cooler near the water! I felt a little ill-used about that. Then I was into the woodsy area and it was cooler. Lots of shade, a nice little stream trickling next to me, aaaah. My legs were all, “We got this.”

I decided to run all the way down to German Street and back up Lou Ambers Drive to get to the spring. I was not quite halfway through my hour, but I thought I would be able to make it. I turned left where a sign said “No left turn.” I actually did not see the sign, because of the keeping my head down thing, but I knew it was there. I love being a rebel.

Two men were filling bottles at the spring, but they finished just as I got there. I wasn’t too worried. Most people are nice and will let a thirsty runner sneak in for a drink. Brief refreshment! Then it was onto the parking lot of Salvatore’s. I wished there was a sign that said “Do Not Enter.” A sign did say “customer parking only,” but I am in fact a frequent customer of Salvatore’s, and tempting as it sounded, I did not intend to park. As I went around the side of the building, I saw the sign that said, “No through traffic.” Yes! My rebel status was safe.

On I ran, encouraged by an occasional breeze and/or shade. I found one other “Do Not Enter” sign to enter in spite of, so that made me happy (I know, it takes so little to please some people). My legs informed me that they had burned off the entire banana with peanut butter and would like some more fuel. I told them to start working on the fat in my butt. They wanted a fresh Angus burger, cooked on a grill, with tomato and red onion, on an onion roll. That image kept me going for a good block.

Toward the end of the run, as my legs continued to complain, my shoulder started hurting a little less. It did not want to move, but it was no longer screaming at me. I found I had to concentrate on breathing or I wouldn’t breathe. What was that all about? I was so ready to stop! But I persevered.

My theory has always been, if you can run one hour, you can run two. You just don’t stop. I have run the Boilermaker in less than two hours. I think I’m good.